Personal scores to settle as United are desperate for victory over Lyon | OneFootball

Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final clash against Lyon could be a moment of reckoning in a season that continues to spiral.

The Europa League remains their only realistic shot at silverware. They are unbeaten in the competition this season and swept aside Real Sociedad 5-2 on aggregate in the last 16.

Their recent European record is also impressive, with just one defeat in their last 21 Europa League matches. But none of that will matter if they cannot get past Lyon.

After a rough patch earlier in the season, Lyon have won seven of their last ten games. They are fifth in Ligue 1, only two points off the top three.

The hosts have also scored 19 goals in their last seven outings. On current form, they are not a team United can afford to underestimate.

United’s challenge goes beyond tactics and quality. Lyon are a team fuelled by emotion. Several of their players have some history with Man United, and that history is not positive.

They include Nemanja Matic, who used his pre-match press conference to publicly attack Andre Onana, branding him one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United’s history.

This was in direct response to Onana’s bold comments, in which he insisted United were ‘way better than Lyon.’

The timing and tone of those comments have only added fuel to an already tense encounter. Matic and his teammates now have a personal reason to raise their game.

For United, the equation is simple – they cannot afford to lose, but more importantly, they cannot afford to look unconvincing.

With their domestic season in tatters and questions surrounding the team’s direction, they must show they are still capable of delivering under pressure.

United must prove that they still have fight, focus and credibility.